actuate

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actuate

  • /ˈæktʃu.eɪt/ UK
  • /ˈæktju.eɪt/ UK
  • /ˈækt͡ʃu.eɪt/ Canada, US
  • /ˈækt͡ʃʉ.æɪt/ Australia

Where it comes from

From Medieval Latin āctuātus, perfect passive participle of āctuō (“actuate, implement”), from Latin āctus, perfect passive participle of agō (“do, act”).

verb actuates · actuating · actuated

  1. transitive To activate, or to put into motion; to animate. Wings, which others were contriving to actuate by the perpetual motion.

    Similar: get going, set in motion, set off, trigger

  2. transitive To incite to action; to motivate. 1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral, 2. ed., London, Oxford University Press, 1973. § 11. A man in a fit of anger, is actuated in a very different manner from one who only thinks of that emotion.

    Similar: instigate, provoke, abet, actuate, goose, fuel, light a fire under, send, sting, bring about, cheer, draw

Translations

Every language

verb to activate; put into motion

Españolaccionar
日本語作動させる sadō saseru
Deutschin Gang setzen, aktivieren
Ελληνικάενεργοποιώ energopoió, κινητοποιώ kinitopoió
Русскийприводи́ть в де́йствие privodítʹ v déjstvije, привести́ в де́йствие privestí v déjstvije

verb to incite to action

Españolaccionar
Portuguêsestimular
Deutschantreiben, anstacheln, motivieren, bewegen
Русскийпобужда́ть к де́йствию pobuždátʹ k déjstviju, побуди́ть к де́йствию pobudítʹ k déjstviju

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MLA

"actuate." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/actuate. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

actuate. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/actuate

Chicago

"actuate." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/actuate.

BibTeX
@misc{actuate_2026,
  title = {actuate},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/actuate},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}